2002 Buick Rendezvous CX from North America - Comments

3rd Oct 2007, 18:14

I bought a 2002 Rendezvous CX two years ago. Since then I had it break down four times in the first month. I was just driving along and it stopped; it went completely dead. I took it back to the dealers, and they couldn't fix it; they took it to a GM service center and it took four more trips to put it right. Turned out to be fuel pump inside the tank. It took approx two months to sort out.

The car rides smooth when working; it's like driving in your armchair, but the cost of putting things right... three months after the battery post fell off again in the middle of nowhere.

Then the wheel bearing on the driver's side went; a new GM part was replaced. It lasted six weeks and went again; this time the dealer replaced the part, but not the labor; another 450.00. Again it failed, this time after 6 months.

Now it's out of its three month warranty, so I took it somewhere else and had it repaired with a lifetime backup.

I opened the door on a windy day; it nearly blew off. I had that fixed, but it's not been the same since.

Now the window does not work correctly and the switch needs to be replaced. Offside tail light filled up with water, which damaged the lamp holder. Had to replace the complete unit as you can't buy just the lamp holder.

The latest thing is the cluster panel flashes on and off, and the door locks switches on and off without the key in the switch. This is the last straw; I will fix everything and then dump it.

No more North American cars for me.

I did have a one year old Ford truck four years ago, but after one year there was more paint on the driveway than on the truck, and Ford wouldn't come clean for the paint job, so that was the last time I bought a Ford.

19th Nov 2007, 10:33

I have waited to post any comments on any of these sites hoping like the rest of us that GM might make right. Yeah, right! Whatever concern someone has posted, I have experienced it. I had researched and waited for my 2002 Rendezvous to be available for purchase. It seemed to be the vehicle I was looking for. There have been so many problems. Early on it was little things, under warranty. But more electrical, transmission, more electrical. Stalling. Overheating. It has been worse than having a boat. Just throw the money out the window. I have decided to write GM/Buick with an official complaint--but people we all have to do it.

30th Nov 2007, 15:52

We bought our 2002 new off the lot. The first year it was great. Then, the A/C quit, the battery exploded and the gas tank warped, leaving a full tank of gas in my garage. The fire dept. had to come out and clean up the mess, and also air out our house. This was at 2 in the morning with a 1 year old and a 4 year old.

The rear lift gate latch had to be replaced.

The wheel bearings had to be replaced along with the wiring harness. The harness was taped, not replaced, so it went out again, had to get a new one.

Then, the intake manifold gasket went.

Now the instrument panel cluster and radio are both draining my battery. The instrument panels works on and off.

This car is nothing but a lemon. Don't ever buy one, don't ever buy a GM car for that matter. Their coolant that they require eats the gaskets, then corrodes the engines and seizes them up, rendering them completely useless. If you see one on the road, run as fast as you can!!!

22nd Dec 2007, 08:00

Last spring I had to replace my car and I decided I wanted something 4-Wheel Drive with some carrying capacity. I'd seen the Buick Rendezvous and we've driven Buick Sedans and had very good luck. We have a 2002 Buick Regal that we've put 100,000 miles on with minimal repairs.

I found a 2002 Rendezvous CRX at what looked like a great price at a small dealer listed on the Internet. We bought it even though the windshield was cracked. That explained the low price. Mistake #1-I didn't check the Internet for reviews of the car! Surprise #1 - on the way home, the AC didn't really cool the car. Surprise #2-when I called to find out what the cost to replace the windshield. It cost close to $2,000 (Heads up display, On-star antenna run up the cost). I called the dealer he agreed to take the car back and refund my money. Mistake #2 - I got an estimate to fix the AC, looked at what I paid and figured I still had a pretty good bargain I decided to keep the car and fix the AC. Surprise #3 - while they were replacing the AC condenser they noticed a leaking head gasket on the rear head. I bit the bullet and fixed that, too. Surprise #4 - within a month the AC went out again. This time the whole control panel for the AC had to be replaced.

After 2 months of trouble free operation, the car began to overheat. I'd start it up and head down the road, within 2 miles the heat gauge goes to the max. After a new radiator cap, It worked fine for a week. The same problem recurred. A new thermostat. The car overheated the next morning. Then a week in the shop, at the end of which they tell me I have a crack in the block or a head. This is pressurizing the coolant system forcing the water out of the radiator, into the reservoir and overheating the engine. The most cost effective solution is to replace the entire engine. A used engine and labor is about $2,500 and then where am I? I've got the holidays to think about my options.

30th Jan 2008, 07:16

Don't feel bad folks. I recently bought a 2002 Rendezvous CXL. I really liked the style & the fact that it was all wheel drive. Well too bad I didn't read or research this site first. I have an electrical problem that makes my lights & instrument cluster flash on & off. While having my rear wheel bearings changed, I was informed that both my rear coil springs were broken in half. To top it all off, I get a loud whining sound from the rear when I reach 40-45mph. Seems like the thing is foreign since you can't find any parts for the thing unless you go through the dealer. I'm very upset. Quite possibly the worst investment ever made. BODY CONTROL MODULE changed by dealer, same electrical problems still exist. No winning with this thing. Should've got the Jeep Cherokee. So much for the pretty looks & luxury interior. PURE JUNK!!! Any suggestions on electrical or rear end noise? PLEASE HELP!!!